Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Random Tuesday Thoughts

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Life doesn't get any more random then being home with a newborn, a curious two year old, husband, dog, 3 cats, mother-in-law and father-in-law PLUS being too incapacitated to sit or go anywhere AND living on continuously interrupted sleep.

-----------------------------Charlotte's enjoying trying out all of baby boy's stuff. Here she is sitting in his boppy (once her's).-----------------------------The new man in my life has an odd night schedule. He wants to eat every hour!!! From 9pm - 1pm I fed him every hour and we finally had a break through when husband tried a big soft stretchy blanket that wrapped him into a tight burrito so that he couldn't get his arms out. The boy slept for 3.5 hours straight. It kinda freaked me out as I was getting used to waking up every 30-45 minutes but he kept on sleeping. It's now the magic blanket!

-----------------------------Random song of the week - I woke at 2am Monday to feed baby and found myself singing "Battle Hymn of the Republic" to stay awake. Glory Glory Hallelujah, his truth is marching on!!!

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One of my SKYPE co-workers in Vietnam has "cruel summer" written beside her name.

-----------------------------Recently I finished reading "Cleopatra's daughter" and while in Rome they ate at lounging couches. I feel like a Roman citizen now since I'm taking all meals on the couch!

-----------------------------Announcing baby's birth on Facebook has produced the highest number of comments yet - 30 comments out of 80 friends! FB friends are such a random bunch.

-----------------------------And now I really must stop hiding in bedroom, writing my RTT, reading all of your RTT's rejoin the family and see what cool outfit they've selected for Charlotte. It's been weeks since I dressed her with MIL here for a month! She has a totally new toddler style with tights and double ponytails. I was always more into the dress and barrette style but it's fun to change things up.

Sounds to me like Sam isn't getting enough to eat. I have some ideas. Be easier if you called me if you are concerned. I don't mind at all sharing and giving some advise. Just let me know. :) Also, newborns, from my experience, love to be bundled up. It gives them some security after months of living in a close space.

I sing all the time to my kids and singing Jesus Loves Me or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over and over in the same tune drove me nuts. I started playing with the melody and sang them differently to keep myself from going crazy!

I would dress my daughter in dresses all the time if I lived in FL too. Princess wears dresses and nothing in her hair most of the time. Her choices. She is a free-flowing kind of girl! LOL!

tonight I'm only letting him nurse on one side for 7-10min and then 20 on the other side. I had been trying 15 on each side but he'd fall asleep after one side and wake me an hour later. So let me know if you have any advice.

After M (little man) came home from the hospital he wasn't gaining much weight. Although, weight doesn't seem the problem with Sam. However, I couldn't keep M awake enough to get in a good nursing. He had been like that since he was born. Always falling asleep. He went from 7 pounds, 1 ounce at birth to 5 pounds, 15 ounces by his fourth day. Scary that he lost over a pound that quick but he wasn't eating much at all.

So, I finally got tired of him always at beast or crying, so I pumped and gave him a two ounce bottle. That was about day 5. Kept him full for a while. :) Before the bottle I was just trying to pump and give him milk by way of a medicine dropper thing. Doctor suggested that. Doesn't work for babies very well, let me tell you! LOL! Mom saw me doing that and was like, WHAT are you doing?! HAha! Milk everywhere and hardly any going where it was needed. Funny to think about now, frustrating at the time!

I would let Sam nurse about ten minutes on one side and as long as he needs from the other each feeding. I would always lose track which side I would need to start from each feeding so I started wearing a special ring (a dolphin ring I bought when at OC, MD when I was a teen. LOL!) and I would switch the ring to the other hand to keep track. Don't time him and eventually he will get the hang of things. Also, your milk supply will ramp up as he needs it if you don't watch the clock so much as you listen to Sam's need.

I have an aunt who watched the clock with her babies and nursings and I felt bad for her babies. Even if they weren't done, she was and so I think her babies went hungry a lot. That's not fair to a newborn.

However, if he is falling asleep that is one thing. I wouldn't stand for that. That is why the bottle might be a good choice temporarily to get his strength up. Who can eat when they are so hungry that they are tired. Like my son was when he was just born.

Any more questions, give me a holler! I am more than happy to help anyway I can. :D Sorry this is LONG!